Sometimes a dog looks calm, but is that what’s really happening? Or could it be learned helplessness? Join me as I dive into this listener question and unpack the nuances between the two.

Can I touch you? A pilot study comparing consensual and non-consensual human-dog touch interactions

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168159125000589

"Choice and consent are critical welfare elements, especially in interactions between humans and animals. Dogs incorporated in therapeutic settings (therapy dogs) may encounter human touch interactions where they have limited control over their circumstances. The present study examined how forced and free-choice touch treatments during interaction with humans influenced the behaviour of therapy dogs and hypothesized that therapy dogs would display a higher frequency of stress-related behaviours during forced in comparison to free-choice touch treatment. "

Old problem, new tools

One of the psychologists who discovered learned helplessness returns to the topic to pinpoint the phenomenon's neurobiological underpinnings.

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/10/helplessness

"This is the illusion of control at the level of neurochemistry," Maier said.

Taken together, the findings suggest that in the face of any stressor, the DRN activates the body's ancient stress responses, but if that stressor turns out to be controllable, the vMPC steps in and calms the DRN's response. "It's like the forebrain is saying, 'Cool it, brain stem, we have the situation under control,'" Maier said.

Learned Helplessness Training Article by Nicole Wilde

https://wildewmn.wordpress.com/2019/01/09/learned-helplessness/

For full transcripts, go to the audio episode on CreatingGreatGroomingDogs.com

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